Can opener



E. D. NEWKIRK CAN OPENER Jan. 8, l1929. 1,698,605

Filed Aug. 21, 1925 si'der to be the preferred embodiment'stor l Patented Jan, 8,- l929.

PATENTS-or 1,698,605 rice.

EDGAR. n. NEwxrEx, or sYnAc'UsE NEW Yonx.

` CANv OPENER.

Application led August 21, 1925.l Serial No. 51,597.

l This invention relates to certain improvements in'c'an openers; and the natureL and objects of the invention will be readily recognized and understood byy those skilled in ther art in the light of the following explanation and detailed description of the accompanying drawings illustrating what I at present conmechanical expressions of my invention from among various `other forms, arrangements,

` combination, and constructions of which the invention is capable within ,the spirit and scope. of the invention.

The invention is particularly directed to those .types of portable and manually operof a can is severed and detached from the can body by clamping the end flange or seam between rollers an d cutting around the can side wall below the end iange with a rotary cutf ter; and one of the objects of the present invention resides in the provision of a mounting and arrangement of the rollers and the rotary cutter, on and with the operating levers or handles of the can opener, such that the rollers and cutter are readily movable to and from. operative position on and clamping a canend, and in which the rotary cutter with the can opener applied to and clamped on a can, is in posi ion to eliciently and positively cut the can side wall and cleanly sever the can end therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide a can opener of the generaltype r'e ferred to, in which an advancing andclamping rollery is mounted on a main operating 'lever or handle vand a rotary cutter and clamping roller is mountedon a crosshead slidably carried by such lever for movement in ya straight line to and from operative position with the advancing lever, and which cross- Vheadis operated by a lever fulcrumed at points offset from the main lever or handle.

so as to develop direct and positive clamping i in construction and in combination and arable can openers with which the end or head thereof.

in the design and construction of a can opener of the rotary cutter-canend severingrrtype, which will form and provide an opener foi" removing bottle caps of the crown ,or similarv typesy without lowering the efficiency of or mechanically complicatingthe can opener.

With the foregoing general objects, and certain other objects and results in view, which other objects and results will be vreadily .apparent from the 'following description, ther invention consists in certain novel features" rangement o f elements, as willbe more fully and particularly referred to and. specified hereinafter. 4 j Y 7 Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference characters refer to corresponding parts'throughout the several figures thereof: j I f Fig. l is a top plan view of a can opener embodying the invention, in applied, clamped ,position on a can for severing the can end, a portion' of the end of the can and endy Bange thereof being shown.l l

. Fig. 2, is a top planview of the can opener in opened position for receiving and application to a can and the end flange or seam Fig. 3, is a fragmentary view, partlygin section, showing the construction and mounting of the sliding crosshead carrying the ro- A further object of the invention resides tary cutter and clamping roller, on the main' operating lever or handle with the advancing roller;

Fig. 4, is a vertical section through the crosshead and main operating leverwith the i I rollers and cutter in open, can receiving position. y

Fig. 5, 'is a vertical section throughdthe crosshead and main lever or handle, and

Athrough the clamping roller and (rotary cutter, with the can opener inapplied position on a can, a portion of the can and end flange `being shown in a vertical section with the cuter in position `for severing the can side wa l.

. Fig. 6, is a view in side elevation of the can opener applied'to a bottle cap and in position for operation to remove the cap from a bottle, a portion only of the bottle b eing shown.

According to the embodlment of the 1nvention disclosedherewith, purely by way of example and not of limitatlon, to illustrate the principles andlfeatures of the invention, the can openerI includes the elongated, substantially flat main lever or handle having a spindle or stub shaft 11 disposed transversely therethrough, adjacent one end thereof and rotatably journalled' therein. At oneI side of lever 10, the spindle or shaftyll is formed with a head 12 extending therefrom and having a bearing flange 14 in engagement with the adjacent side face of lever 10, while at the opposite side of main lever 10, spindle or shaft 11 is extended and the advancing and clamping oppositely curved or bent to form a handle` Areadily engaged and grasped by the fingers for rotating/spindle or shaft 11, and the advancing roller mounted thereon.

The main lever o-r handle 10 is formed with an elonUated slot 19, disposed longitudinally lthereof in line with the shaft orV spindle 11, and spaced inwardlj7 and terminating at its outer end a `distance from the advancing roller 15, as will be clear by reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings :in particular.` Opposite the slot 19, the lever 10 `is provided with a laterally projecting fulcrum forml ing arm`20, disposed 1n the plane of lever 10 and extending from one edge thereof substantially perpendicularly with respect to the .slot 19, with the longitudinal axis of arm 20 approximately alined with the transverse center axis-of the slot 19.

A crosshead 2l, in the example hereof, `of

`deep channel or -U-shape in crosssection, havingspaced, substantially parallel side walls or flanges joined at one side thereof by the edge wall 22, `and open at the'opposite side and the crosshead is edge and at the opposite -ends, is provided for mounting over and sliding movement on the main lever or handle 10. The crosshead 21 is provided with an opening 23 through` the edge wall 22-thereof, of a 4width slightly greater than the width of the fulcrum4 arm 20 projecting laterall from main lever 10, tted over and receives the lever 10 between the spaced, side walls thereof, as shown particularly by Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, with the arm 20 extending through opening 23 and projecting outwardly therebeyond.`- (See Figs. 1, 2, and The crosshead 21 is of greater width than the width of lever or handle 10, and the opening 23 is so positioned therein that with the crosshead mounted over arm 20 and'iever' 10, the forward portion of the crossheadfadjacent the open edge thereof, is positioned.4

over the .slot 19 in the lever handle 10.

head 21 is formed with alined bores through lwith and open into the lever slot 19, and a headed stud 24 is mounted in these bores extending through the crosshead and the slot '19. The'stud 24 is mounted with the head Athereof disposed on the same sidev of lever l 10 as the advancing roller.15, 'and the stud extends outwardly a distance beyond lever 10 and roller I15 `(see Figs. 4 and 5), and is formed with a bearing portion 25 providing a shoulder 25 (see Fig. 5) vwhich abuts against the adjacent flange orside wall of the crosshead 21. QThat portion v26 of the.

stud 24 disposed in and extending through lever slot 19 is of a diameter substantially equal to the width of slot 19 to form a sliding fit therein and the outer end portion 27 of the stud -opposite'bearing 25, is reduced and extends outwardly through the adjacent flange or side wall of crosshead 21. Alshoulder 26 (see Figs. 4 and 5) is formed between portions 26 and27 of stud 24 and bears against the inner side of the adjacent crosshead side wall. The outer end or reduced portion 27 of stud 24i`s screw-threaded and a nut -28 and washer 29 are mounted thereon and thereover, and secure stud 24in position on and movable with the crosshead.

A combined clamping and cutting roller 30 is mounted and rotatably journalled on the bearing 25 of stud 24-between the head The forward outer portion. of the cross-` of Athe st ud and the crosshead 21, and this roller 30 is formed, inthe present example, with a cutting blade 3 1 vextending there- 'around and outwardly therefroinat the outer end thereof, anddi'sposed ina plane a slight distance below the plane of the advancing roller. A handle 32,.in the example illus- -trated herewith, integral with the crosshead 21 and formingia reduced continuation thereof, of channel section, extends from the inner endor side of lcrosshead '21, along and eoextensive with the main lever handle 10. lThe lllf) handle 32'is so disposed that. in vposition A moved inwardly toward lever 10, it fits over i and receives the lever and is substantially parallel therewith. However, the invention -is Ilot limited to the form of handle 32 illustrated herewith as integral with crosshead 21, as various other vforms and'constructions may be used Asuitably attached or secured to the crosshead.

.The crosshead 21, so constructed and` mounted, is slidable' on and over the main lever handle 10 toward and from the advanc ing roller 15, to carry the clamping and cutting roller 30 toward and from roller 15, by j 'v swinging thehandle 32 toward and from main lever handle 10. When handle 32 is j swung, the crosshead 21 is fulcrumed on the laterally projecting larm 2O of lever 10, and

y so

the crosshead vis moved longitudinally of lever 10, with -stud 24 slidin-g longitudinally of slot1'9., and guided and maintained in the required pathby the slot, so that the stud 24 andthe roller 30 carried thereon move in a substantially straight line longitudinally of the lever l0, toward and from the advancing roller l5. The 4opening 23 through the edge wall 22 of crosshead 21, with the arm 2O extending therethrough form fulcrum points for the crosshead 21, offset laterally from the lever 10 and path of movement for the stud form fulcrumor bearing 24. The opposite edges of the'opening 23 points 33 and 34 which engage and bearagainst `opposite side edges of fulcrum arm 20, the bearing 33 eni gaging arm when `handle 32 is swung to move crosshead 421 inwardly along Aslot 19, and the bearing 34 engaging arm 20 when the cro'sshead is moved outwardly along slot 19 and lever 10, by handle 32.

In operation of the can opener tosever the end or head of a can for. removal thereof, the handle 32 of the opener is swung outwardly away from the main lever handle 10 to the position shown in ,Fig 2 of the drawings. This movement of handle 32 slides or-moves the cros'shead-21 with stud-and roller rearwardly or inwardly along the main lever 10, the crosshead fulcrumed at bearingpoint 33 on arm 20, to position with stud 24 at the inner end of slot 19, Iand the roller 30 Withblade 31gin positionspaced inwardly on lever 10 Jfrom roller 15, as-clearly shown in Fig.

4. 'The can opener'in this open position of rollers'l and 30, referring now-to Figs. 1

and 5 of the drawings, is placed over the'end or hea'd of a can C with the advancing roller l5 disposed on the head of the can and the end flange orseam S of thel can disposed between rollers 15 and 30. lvThe handle 32 is then ,swung inwardly toward the main lever 10 and the crosshead 21 is moved thereby outwardly along lever'lO, with the stud 24 slidmg forwardly along Islot 19 and the crosshead fulcrumed on bearing 34 engaged with fulc'rum armV 20. The 'forward movementof crosshead 21 and stud 24 moves the roller andcutter 30 in aistraightline outwardly and longitudinally oflever 1() toward the can C `Vagainstthe end flange and clamps the same between roller 15 and the roller 30. In this applied,.operative position of the rollers, the -cutting blade. 31'eXte`nds inwardly through the' can side wall-and a distance inwardly below the advancing roller 15, as will be clear vby reference to lig.v 5 of the drawings.

. Then by graspingthe handle 32 and lever 10 in one hand with the application of pressure tomaintain the end ange tightly clamped betweenA the rollers, and rotatingthe advancing roller 15 by handlevlwith the other hand,

the can C is rotated between rollersI 15`and 30 and the blade 31 cuts through and aroundv the side wall of the can to completely sever-the.

lever handle 10 is'form'ed with .the trans.

versely incl-ined or beveled outer operating end to provide the ljaw or bottle cap .top engaging member 40, and the outer endv of the crosshead 21 is formed with the projecting llip 41 as a continuation of the crosshead edge wall 22, to provide the bottle cap skirt or` flange engaging member. ^In view of the fact that the outer side edge 22 ofthe crosshead 21 is spaced outwardly from the adjacent edge-of lever 10, the jaw member 40 and lip 4l are spaced apart with member 40 extended outwardly beyond' the lip 41. Refer-ringnow to Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings, a portion of a bottle B is shown closed by a cap T of the crown type forced.

and maintained under pressure thereon. In the operation and use of lthe can opener to remove the bottle cap T,"the jaw member 40` of lever l() is placed on the top of bottle cap T a suiicient distance thereover and thereacross to, bring the projecting lip 41 of crosshead 21 belowvand in'enga ement with the depending lower edge of t e cap-skirt or- Aflange, with the handle 32 raised position swungl against lever 10, as clearly shown i by Fig. 6. Then by raising or swinging the outer ends of handles 10 and'- 32.upwardly, on the jaw 40 as a bearing or fulcrum point,

the lip 41 engaging the cap flange will force' the cap from 4seated position on thel bottle.

Thus, the can opener is'formed without mechanically. complicating the same to likewlse provide a simple and eliicient nbottle-opener for removing bottle caps.

With the mvention as a can opener, by the and clamping roller 30V4 on cross-head y21 for movement in a straight line longitudinally of' the main lever 1() toward roller 15 and into Aclampin'gand cutting engagement with the can, and rotation of the can through advanci ing rollerfl, with the clamping and cutting roller 30 freely rotatable withv the can, a'

smoothclean eut is secured andz positive posivso mounting and arrangement of rotary cutting l tioning and operation of the various elements obtained with the minimum application 'of tion andmounting of the various elements of f! the can opener is such that they are readily I. force to the operating levers. The construcv i sults, which device provides in the one ,instrumentality both a can opener and a bottle-cap remover.

l might he resorted to Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and

Cil

hence I do not desire to limit myself to the exact and specific disclosures hereof.-

Desiring to protect my invention in the broadest manner legally possible, claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States,fis:

l. In a can opener, one handle having alat-` eral horn, and a. rotary advancing roller Inountedn one end of said handle and having an operating handle; in combination With'another handle loosely confined to said irst named-'handle and forming a cross head confined to said first named handle to straight-line recip'rocation longitudinally thereof toward and from said advancing roller, and a clamping and cutting roller carried by saidcross, head, said other handle forming said cross head having a lateral portion disconnected from said horn and arranged to abut the same and constitute the fulcrum on which said other -handle rocks'tof advance said clamping and cutting roller toward saidadvancing roller.

2. In a can opener, a handle ,at one end provided with an advancing rollerv having a handle for rotating the same said handle lformed with a straight longitudinal slot, said handle also having a rigid horn extending 'laterally therefrom; in combination vvithani other and cooperating handle having a portion that is a proXimately U-s` `pecl in cross section slidab yy overlapping the.` side faces of the first mentioned handle and formed WithI a transverse opening through its closed edge portion loosely receiving said horn and providing a fulcrum edge to' abut said horn, said portion carrying. a stud extending through said slot andconiined therein to straight line reciprocation longitudinally thereof, anda clamping and vcutting roller carried by ,said stud. i

3.- A can opener comprising ,a handle at oneendrprovided With a rotary advancing rolle;` having an operating handle, said hani ydle having aistraightline longitudinal slot ly fixed fulcrum abutment arranged laterally of the handle a distance from said slot; in vcombination with another complementany' arranged radially with respect to the axis of said roller, said handle having a relativetioned handle and loosely confined thereto and provided with a stud confined in. said slot to straight 'line reciprocation longitudinally thereof, and a rotary clamping and cutting roller carried by said stud, saidother complementary handle `having a relatively fixed what \l/`fulcrum ortion arranged laterally some distance fro said stud to move to andabut and rock on said fulcrum abutment Whenthe tWo lhandles are pressed toward each other to pro# vide the leverage for advancing the clamping and cutting roller in-a straight line toward the advancing roller.

- 4. A can opener, comprising a pair of complementary handles loosely coupled together and carrying cooperating' rotary advancing and cutting 'rollers having hand operating rotating means, said handles also 'having rela .tively movable disconnected portionsl rigid with :their respective handles .operating abutments having re ative lateraland. separating` movements and arranged to roviding cocome together for handle nfulcruming engage- -ment when said handles are pressed'toward each other to bring said rollers into cooperative action on Jthe can, the end of one handle carrying one of said rollers, and the end of the other handle the other roller, they axis of the cutting roller being spaced laterally a distance from said abutments and having a' straight-line pathof reciprocation radiallyI of,the axis of the advancing roller.

5. A can opener comprising4 rotary cut? ting and advancing rollers having parallel.

axes and a rotating handle, and a pair of elongated handles, one of said handles having one of said rollers mounted at an end thereof, said handle also formed With arigid lateral horn land an elongatedslotpspa'ced laterally from said horn; the other handle formed with av portion slidably overlapping the slotted ,-por- `tion of the other handle andrhaving a stud .slidable in and longitudinally of said slot and carrying the, other of said rollers and also lhaving -a rigid transverse portion spaced'a distance laterally from said stud'and formed With a transverse opening loosely receiving 'said horn and providing abutmentsrelatively movable Withrespect thereto and formed to abut and fulcrum thereon.

y Signed' at Syracuse, New York, this 11th day oflAugust,1925.

y L EDGR DLNEWKIRIS. 

